Jays making most of district chance

There are three boys soccer teams still standing. Two of them, Berks I champ Exeter and Berks III champ Tulpehocken, are no surprise. The third, Holy Name, might not have been expected.

The Blue Jays stumbled down the stretch of the regular season, winning just two games after Sept. 15, and they entered the District 3-A Tournament as the 13th seed.

Coach Steve Miller thought all of that was misleading. He said he believes his team is better than its record.

"We feel we can really play with anybody in Berks County," Miller said.

Holy Name is using the district tournament as a last chance at validation. The Blue Jays will look to keep their season alive when they face No. 5 Biglerville (14-7), the defending district champ, at Cedar Crest today at 1.

Holy Name (7-7-3) entered the season with high expectations and considered itself a contender in wide-open Berks IV. The Jays were 4-1-1 after six games, including a victory over eventual division winner Kutztown, before hitting the skids.

Over the next four weeks, Holy Name went 2-6-2 and narrowly missed the county playoffs. It was a disappointment.

A closer look at the results reveals the Blue Jays were the victim of some hard luck. Five of their final six losses were by one goal. One persistent problem plagued the Jays.

"Our challenge is going to be putting the ball in the back of the net," Miller said. "Defensively, we're not giving up many goals. A couple of those one-goal games we were the better team. Unfortunately, the other team snuck a goal in there on us."

Holy Name has allowed 19 goals in 17 games, which usually translates to a record better than .500. The Blue Jays lost four games by 1-0 or 2-1 scores. They've created chances in the other team's box, but haven't finished enough of them.

The team's strong defensive corps, anchored by Josh Huntsman, Dan Hassinger, Ryan Walter and goalie Webb Higinbotham, produced a shutout in a victory over No. 4 Fairfield in the first round Wednesday. They'll look to do it again against Biglerville.

The Canners, who finished first in YAIAA III, defeated Harrisburg Academy in the first round. They knocked off Camp Hill in last year's district final.

Tulpehocken is a contender for its seventh district crown and first since 2001. The Trojans will take on Mennonite, which won Lancaster-Lebanon League IV and knocked off rival Lancaster Catholic in the first round.

Exeter faces Dallastown, the York County champ and highest remaining seed in Triple-A. The Wildcats ousted Berks champ Wilson Thursday.